Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I've been using pumkin/squash, but I've noticed that it has way too much Vitamin A, which can be unhealthy.

I've also tried substituting it for Sauerkraut, but it doesn't go well with all dishes.

edited Mar 8 2010 at 19:05

Louisa
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asked Mar 8 2010 at 7:53

Konrad
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Pumpkin/squash/sweet potatoes do not have retinol, just carotenes. Your body will not convert carotenes to retinoic acid (the active retinoid) unless it needs it. Thus, carotenes are not unhealthy. Beyond the mechanistic understanding I just described, no study has linked dietary carotenes to bad health outcomes. Supplemental carotenes, on the other hand, can lead to more lung cancer among smokers when consumed in high doses along with high doses of retinol, and perhaps only among vit D deficient people too – Jay Mar 10 2010 at 16:44

Bread-Eating Beelzebub · Accepted Answer · 2010-03-08 13:29:14Z UTC

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about vitamin A from plant sources. Often, the body can't even convert it to the bioavailable form. It's excess retinol that is being blamed around here. If you get enough of that already, your body will probably not convert the stuff in the squash.

But the rule is in general that more orange = more A. Paler squashes have less, as do parsnips compared to carrots.

Otherwise, why not try mushrooms? Or mashed celeriac.

Mikael Jansson · Answer 2 · 2010-03-08 13:37:08Z UTC

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Cauliflower rice? http://www.examiner.com/x-355-Low-Carb-Examiner~y2008m5d29-Riced-Cauliflower-LowCarb-Staple

Also, cauliflower pizza crust: http://www.examiner.com/x-355-Low-Carb-Examiner~y2008m6d4-Cauliflower-Pizza-Crust-Worth-its-Wow-in-Gold

answered Mar 8 2010 at 13:37

Mikael Jansson
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Dear god, this pizza crust looks like the best thing in the world! – Konrad Mar 9 2010 at 2:03

henny · Answer 3 · 2010-03-08 17:08:43Z UTC

Everyone is coming up with great side dishes, but I think we sometimes have a problem with old mind-sets. Who says we even need to find a substitute for a side of potatoes? If you must have a white component, what about mashed cauliflower?

This is along the line of my own weird mind set of "healthy whole grains". That phrase was rammed into my head for so long that it is hard to overcome.

A healthier frame of mind would be to just accept the concept of a nice piece of meat accompanied by your personal choice healthy side of veggie as the perfect paleo meal.

Rick Kiessig · Answer 4 · 2010-03-08 08:09:02Z UTC

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I like zucchini (courgettes) as a side-dish. If you cook them just right, they can actually have a mashed potato-like texture. Leafy greens like spinach or kale are other favorites, and broccoli or cabbage can also be good. Sometimes I mix in a few sliced onions for variety.

If you're not a big vegetable fan, it's amazing how much better they taste when cooked in lots of butter or cream.

answered Mar 8 2010 at 8:09

Rick Kiessig
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Hmm, isn't butter as non-paleo as potatoes? – Konrad Mar 8 2010 at 8:23

I subscribe to Kurt Harris' PaNu version of Paleo, where dairy is acceptable. The idea is to duplicate the evolutionary metabolic environment from the Paleo period, not to eat exactly the same foods. Potatoes are a high-carb, insulin-provoking food. Butter is a saturated fat very similar to the animal fats that would have been available in the Paleo period. – Rick Kiessig Mar 8 2010 at 8:43

And to compound the questions, I just found this post by Don Matesz on potatoes: donmatesz.blogspot.com/2009/09/…. So do we even need to skip the potatoes? – NickW Mar 8 2010 at 11:26

I think the potatoes question depends on what you are doing paleo for. If it's for weight loss, skip the potatoes. I do it for auto immune issues and while yeah...potatoes are a "nightshade" and they have some antinutrients, I've never reacted to them and that would also mean ditching tomatoes and peppers too. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Mar 8 2010 at 13:25

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Arthritis is not a disease of civilization and has been documented in paleolithic peoples. Furthermore, there is no scientific study proving the link between nightshades and arthritis...it's paleo woo. The "studies" that show a link are surveys, which we all know are dumb from Good Calories Bad Calories. I didn't eat nightshades for over a year and I had no reaction adding them back in. IN fact, I feel happier and better since I can eat delicious ethnic food. If we are going to discard all plants with antinutrients, we should only eat meat. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Mar 8 2010 at 14:33

show 4 more comments

Beth · Answer 5 · 2010-03-08 14:25:00Z UTC

I agree with Melissa. The problem with too much vitamin A is usually via the preformed kind, not from carotenoids in veggies. That said, one of my fave sides is brussels sprouts. Like Rick, I tilt PaNu so do include some dairy, and brussels sprouts in butter are delish!

One other suggestion: I was watching Food Network and saw a great side I want to try: roasted grape tomatoes (just tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil). They'd probably work just as well pan fried.

ChrisG · Answer 6 · 2010-03-10 21:21:38Z UTC

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In my opinion, even better than pureed cauliflower, are pureed turnips, parsnips or rutabega. Or even combining them in some way. Be sure to add butter and/or cream. Yum. These are higher in carbs than cauliflower, but still lower than potatos.

answered Mar 10 2010 at 21:21

ChrisG
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Cooked rutabaga is yummy mashed with potatoes, some butter, and a shake of pepper and nutmeg. – henny Mar 10 2010 at 21:28

Jay · Answer 7 · 2010-03-10 16:46:59Z UTC

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Why avoid potatoes? Just because Loren Cordain says they are not paleo does not make them unhealthy.

answered Mar 10 2010 at 16:46

Jay
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	well, they are unsafe to consume raw, aren't they? – Konrad Mar 10 2010 at 18:15
	True, but cooked potatoes don't have that problem. – Jay Mar 10 2010 at 22:16

Mady · Answer 8 · 2010-03-09 02:31:07Z UTC

I am a big fan of oven roasted cauliflower for dishes that are traditionally accompanied by potatoes; in my opinion this method gives the closest "mouth feel" to potatoes, and is so delicious that it is completely worth eating in its own right. This recipe is pretty close to what I do, except that I mince the garlic and use half olive oil/half coconut oil. (butter is also awesome here if you eat it)

As variations to garlic, I have also seen it prepared this way with fennel and onions, or Parmesan, or chili and lime, or turmeric jalapeño ginger.

AlphaCityLC · Answer 9 · 2010-03-10 21:56:19Z UTC

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Potatoes are not inherently not paleo IMO -- they are a good source of cals for a hunter-gatherer. They are just not low-carb.

answered Mar 10 2010 at 21:56

AlphaCityLC
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GiGiEats · Answer 10 · 2010-05-09 02:16:14Z UTC

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I've always heard cauliflower as a good sub... hm... what else could be a good paleo sub... celeriac? or how about turnips?

answered May 9 2010 at 2:16

GiGiEats
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What do you use to substitute potatoes as the side dish?

10 Answers